Portable crane



E. N. HESCOCK.

PORTABLE CRANE. APPLICATION FILED AUG.I. 1921.

1,428,887, PatentedSept. 12,1922.

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\* @ILTT Nil 7 luvl avroz m Owe A TORNEY E. N. HESCOCK. PORTABLE CRANE. I 1 APPLICATION FILED AUG.I. 192]. 1,428,887.

' INVENTOR H) g ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 12, 1922.

UNITED STATES {gram OFFICE.

ETHAN N. HESCOCK, OF WES'IFIELD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO NEW JERSEY FOUNDRY & MACHINE COMPANY, A. CORPORATION OF NEW J ERSEY,

PORTABLE CRANE.

Application filed August 1, 1921; Serial No. 488,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ETHAN N. Hnsooon, a citizen of the United States, residing at \Vestfield, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Portable Cranes, of which the following is a speci fication, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

Myinvention relates to portable cranes. More articularly it relates to a portable crane iaving an extension mast, the heightof which, can be varied to correspond with available open head space in which the crane has to work for the time being. These cranes are moved from place to place on the floor of a wharf, ware-house, factory, or other building, or the ground, where it is desired to raise or lower articles of any description within its capacity. In moving the crane it is necessary to pass it through doorways or other restricted openings, and also to operate it in locations in which the overheadspace varies within wide limits.

By my invention my ortable crane can be .made instantly to ad available overhead space and can be readily passed through doors or other restricted openings.

For the purpose of more readily describing.

my invention I have shown it in connection with the accompanying drawings in which the same reference numerals refer to similar parts in the several figures.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved portable crane;

Fig. 2 is a plan view;

Fig. 3 is a rear elevation;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking down in the direction of the arrows;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail view of one of the friction disc type of brakes which I preferably employ.

These drawingsare simply illustrative of one form of my invention. The base, fixed mast and extension mast may be variously made. For purposes of illustration I have shown my portable crane 1 formed with a base 2, having side members 3, 3 and spacing members 4, 1. The fixed mast 5 is preferably. formed out of four angle irons 6, 6, Fig. 4;,- suitably spaced apart, as for example, by the spacers '7, 7 in the form of lattice work. These angle irons-6, 6 are firmly seapt itself to the cured to the base 3 in any suitable manner,

such as by the braces 8, 8, which connect them with the side members 3, 3. The spacers {1, I are also preferably secured to the angle irons 6, 6. The base 2 is mounted on any suitable traction wheels. I have shown it mounted on castor wheels 50, 50,

but it is understood that the traction wheels may be arranged to run on rails, or any suitable form of wheels may be employed.

, Supported by the fixed mast 5 is an extension mast 9, which can be raised andlowered with relation to the fixed mast 5. This extension mast is also preferably formed of' four angle irons 10, 10, spacing members 11, 11 and lattice members 12, 12. At the upper end of the'extension mast 9, I provide any suitable means to support the idler sheave 13' over which the hoist rope 14 passes. I

In my preferred construction, but to which my invention is not to be limited, I arrange the extension mast 9 so that it is telescoped within the fixed mast 5. To further support the extension mast and to readily trans fer to the fixed mast the strains and stresses thrown on the extension mast 9 by the load (not shown) carried by the hook 18, I mount flange wheels 19. 19 (Fig. 4) on the angle irons6, 6 of the fixed mast 5 by means of the studs 21, 21. These wheels have a flange 20 and a bearing surface. The angle irons 10, 10 of the extension mast 9 move upon the bearing surfaces of the wheels 19 and are kept in proper alinement by the flanges 20. Any suitable number of these wheels 19 may be used. For purposes of illustration I have shown eight of them, though this number may be increased or decreased asfound de Sllfiblfi, or the wheels may be entirely omitte To one of the spacing members 11 of the extension mast 9, I connect the extension mast line 121, passing it up over the sheave 22 secured at the upper end of the fixed mast 5, so that by operating the extension mast line 121, the extension mast 9 may be raised "or lowered to accommodate itself to different overhead spaces in which the crane is to operate for the time being.

.18, at an Various meansmay'be used for controlling the hoist line 14, by which the load is lifted", and the extension mast line 121 which controls the extension mast 9. I have shown in the drawings two diiferent drums and friction brake disc mechanisms, which will automatically hold the extension mast 9, and the load (not shown) carried by the hook desired elevation. By simple manipulation of the different cranks these diflerent'friction brake discs and winding mechanisms, which are duplicate, may be .suitably controlled. They are no partfof my present invention and are simply illustrated and here described as a form of winding mechanism which I may employ.

For convienience the winding and brake mechanism controlling the raising and lowering of the extension mast 9 will be 'de-' scribed, it being understood that thewinding and brake mechanism for the hoist line 14 is simply a duplicate. 4 The extension hoist line 121 is wound over the winding drum 23. The brake wheel 24 is provided on its periphery with ratchet teeth 25, which engagewith the pawl 26 pivotally mounted on-the crank axle 27 carried by the bearings 28, 28.0n the frame 29. At the endof the crank axle 27 is mounted the crank 30.- The brake wheel 24 is loosely mounted on the axle 31 carried by the bear- 24 is mounted a collar 40' held fast on the axle 31 by means of the pin 41. The brake wheel 24 is preferably cut away or recessed to receive loosely mounted friction discs 42, 42, oneon each side of the brake wheel 24.

.In raising'the extension mast 9, by operating the crank 30, the gear wheel 43 is rotated which causes the gear wheel 33, the axle 31, and collar-34 to rotatewith it. The shoulders of the cams 36, 36 and of the earns 37, 37 on the loose gear wheel38 will 'engage and cause this gear wheel 38 to rotate with the shaft-31 and hence transmit power to the g ea'r wheel 44 and operate the winding drum 23. In this operation the slight friction of the collar 40, friction hub 39, and friction discs 42, 42 will cause the brake wheel 24 to rotate idly under thepa'wl 26.

When, for the time being the extension mast 9 has. been raised to the correct height, the handof the 'operatoris removed fromthe crank 30. When the power is removed fro' n the crank, the action, 'so far described,

pawl 26.

is automatically reversed. The weight of the extension mast. 9 tends to, and does, op-

crate the brake mechanism. As the .extension mast, due to its weight, seeks to fall in the fixed mast 5, it pulls, or attempts to pull, the extension mast line 121from thedrum 23. This reverses the rotation of the drum 23, the gear wheel 44, and the loose gear wheel 38. This'will also cause the cams 36, 36 and 37, 37 to move slightly on each other as shown in Fig. 5. This action causes the loose gear wheel 38, with its friction surface 31, to move slightly to'the right of Fig. 5, I

and carry with it the loose brake wheel 24;

This lateral movement is arrested by the fr ction collar 40 fast on the shaft 31. Further rotation, or attempted rotation, in this direction of the gear wheels 44 and 38 and the brake wheel24 will be prevented by the pawl 26 engaging with the teeth 25 of the therefore, be held automatically in any elevated position desired for the particular head room in,which it has to operate for the s 4 v To again lower the extension mast 9 it is time being.

only necessary to control the crank 30 so as to control the cams 36, 36' and 37, 37, to

insure that sufficient pressure be thrown upon the frictionsurfaces 39 and 40 and brake discs 42, 42 so that the gears 44 and- 38 will be permitted, under control, to lower the extension mast 9.. The action on the crank 30- is somewhat similar to back pedaling on a bicycle. While the extension mast is being lowered the brake wheel 24 is held from rotation by the pawl 26 and .is

.lii'ake. wheel. The extension mast 9 will,

clamped more or less firmly by'the rotatingfriction members 39 and 40 and the discs 42, 42.- When it is desired to again raise the extension mast 9 it is only neces;

saryeto again rotate the crank 30, when the 1 bra ewheel 24 will again rotate under the The hoist line 14 is wound .on the drum 123 by operating the crank 130. The operation of raising, lowering and holding the load (not shown) .supportedby'the' hook 18 is exactly the same as that just described for raising and lowering theextension mast, the winding and brake cates. 4

connection with an illustrative embodiment thereof, to the details of which I do not desire to be limited, what is claimed as new and what is desired to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

What I claim is 1. The combination in a portable crane of a base, traction means to permit the base to be moved. to. any desired location a fixed mast formed of an angle irons and spacing members, wheels mounted pn the angle irons of the fixed mast, an extension mast formed 11s mechanism being dupli- Having thus described this invention in] of angle irons and spacing members, theangle irons of the extension mast cooperating with the wheels mounted on the fixed mast, and means to raise and lower the extension mastj 2. The combination in a portable crane of a base, traction means to ermit the base to be removed to any desired ocation, a fixed mast formed of longitudinal steel shapes and spacing members, Wheels mounted on the longitudinal steel shapes, an extension mast formed of longitudinal steel shapes and spacing -members, the longitudinal steel shapes of the extension mast cooperating with the wheels mounted on the fixed mast, and means to raise and lower the extension mast.

a base, traction means to permit the base to be moved to any desired location, a fixed mast carried by the base, an extension mast 3. The combination in a portable crane of carried by the fixed mast and adapted to move with relation toit, a jib on the end of the extension mast, and means to move the extension mast and jib to correspond with the particular available overhead space.

' 4. The combination in a portable crane of acbase, traction means to permit the base to be moved to any desired location, a fixed mast carried by the base, an extension mast carried by the fixed mast and adapted to move with relation to it, a jib on the end of the extension mast, and means to move the extension mast and jib to correspond with the particular available overhead space and separate means to raise and lower articles supported by the jib.

ETHAN N, HESGOCK.

Witnesses REUBEN IRWIN, B. J. HANN. 

